QOD

You young believers, who have lately followed Christ, should father and mother forsake you, remember you were bidden to reckon upon it; should brothers and sisters deride you, you must put this down as part of the cost of being a Christian.

- Spurgeon, Discovering the Power of The Cross of Christ

The Drive Home

One of the joys I take in life is the drive to and from work. My brother and I drive to the GO station, it's a short drive... ten minutes or so. But, it's time we can just chat about random things without distraction.

A particular radio station has this game where contestants call in, and win a prize. The radio hosts would open up the first envelope to reveal their prize. The contestant can then decide to "Press their luck" (name of the game) in hopes that the next envelope has a bigger prize, the biggest prize being a trip to some tropical destination. However, as they push closer and closer to the fourth and final envelope they risk losing it all. We would find ourselves shouting at the radio, urging the stupid contestant to stop being greedy, take their prize, and go home. Try beating that morning ritual!

I keep urging my brother to call in, but he won't do it.

But, that was a large digression. A night ago, we were talking about my brother's current job situation. (Conversation remains largely in-tact.)

richard: So what is happening with your job?

brother: My boss is trying to get me hired as a full-time temporary. There are signatures that need to be retrieved from executives.

richard: Weren't you hired already?

brother: No, if I get hired as a full-time temporary, I get paid out of the HR budget.

richard: So...how were you getting paid before?

brother: They set some money out of the copier budget for the length of my contract.

richard: *laughing* So basically, you're equivalent to a copier.

brother: I'd like to think I add more value to the company than a photocopier. But, not one of those multi-function colour copiers. Those are expensive.

We're still waiting to hear back from his boss.

Post-Retreat Thoughts

How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD. Ps 119:1

I went to Ryerson CCF's retreat this past week. It was good times. I was really hesitant about going: One, I did not know that many of them. Two, with all that has been going on at the church, I did not really feel like it. Three, the age gap was starting to get really apparent. I felt like the older brother who has no friends, tagging along with the younger brother. I am very glad I went... for several reasons.

Use

God used me there. For more than I previously imagined. I thought I was only going to do a workshop. But, praise God that when tested with fire, I was refined! I wish I could share here, but at least for now... it is better to be silent and let things play out. I am very glad to see how much people have grown, especially the committee.

Workshop

I did a workshop on the Word. It was pretty long. Condensing five doctrines on Scripture into an hour. It was definitely a work out in terms of flipping our bibles back and forth! I am very happy with the earnestness of people to follow and learn the word. There are quite a few notable first years, especially among the young women.

An issue that I constantly brought up and I am hopeful that I stressed enough during the retreat... was that my authority as a workshop leader comes from God. Everything that I spoke and taught had to be measured against Scripture. I told them again and again, "I don't care about your opinion. Tell me from Scripture. You shouldn't care about my opinion, unless it comes from Scripture." I am hopeful that people there were not listening to me for my sake, but listening because I was speaking from the Word.

When I look back on it, I probably appeared like a fire and brimstone type of guy (for those who didn't know me that well). I have to learn how to do small talk and warm up to people again. I feel like I have lost the ability to socialize. I talk with people and figure out how to strategically move the conversation to Jesus. We should be intentional in this manner, but sometimes I move too quickly and turn people off. I have to figure out how to warm people up to it... but, that's a story for another post.

Sermon(s)

I invited Scott to preach. As usual, he preached good stuff. The committee and some others were making reference to the stuff he said. So it sounds like they absorbed it. A lot of them perked up, it seems like biblical preaching is a rarity in a lot of our churches. The question is will they be obedient to what they hear and see in Scripture... or once coming back to their churches, same as usual?

The message on Thursday night was not as good. The speaker was not as trained nor as prepared as Scott, even though the words given to him to speak were actually from a sermon Scott preached on previously. He went a little too fast here and there and was a little confusing, as well. I guess you live and learn.

All in all, it was a good retreat. I am very thankful that I went and found it spiritually refreshing. PTL.

Workshop Preparation

In which Richard laments his current situation...

Mistake #1: Waking up at 11:40 AM.
Mistake #2: Starting work at 2:00 PM.
Mistake #3: Taking a 3 hour Dragon Age break.

Addendum:
Some more mistakes...
Mistake #4: Leaving workshop til last minute.
Mistake #5: Writing blog posts instead of working on workshop.

QOD

"There is a common worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have enough - a cheap Christianity which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice - which costs nothing, and is worth nothing." - J. C. Ryle

Oh MAN!

"The Lord hears your murmurings which you murmur against Him!" Exodus 16:8

"And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak!" Matthew 12:36

That is absolutely insane. Every single word! Now I can understand that with..

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:17

The Scary Thing

Throughout this whole situation, I have been wondering. It's striking, the similarities between the two of us: How we both employ manipulation, the "smooth talk", the controlling of information flow, the insistence of our way, and the enjoyment of the praises of men.

It scares me to my core that I can imagine myself like you... if given the time and the motive.

Maybe this is God's way of warning me. The narrow path is a hard path. One which a person must use concentrated effort and discipline to remain on it. All I know is, I want this to end... and soon.

I don't want to sound judgmental. However, measured against Scripture, what you are doing is wrong. God will be the judge in the end. Regardless of how this is spinned, I will be vindicated.

Still, it's not the gossip, or my reputation that I worry about...it's that...

...we're not so different.

Interview with Christopher Hitchens

Maryiln Sewell = Unitarian Minister
Christopher Hitchens = Renowned Atheist

Maryiln Sewell: "The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make and distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?"

Christopher Hitchens: "I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian."

Maryiln Sewell: "Let me go someplace else. When I was in seminary I..."

HT: Vox Day
Original Source

VOD

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 1 Cor 13:11

Placeholder

When all can be revealed, stuff will be placed here.

Drive

I pray that it is God's wisdom that drives me, not fear.